The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-02-18
NANCY DEDMAN.

''The Dedmans lived, when they was to
home, in IA bit of place in the CoInbe there
You might pass within "a yard of it and not
zee it, So grandfather said. They was Of
smuggling crew There was chain Of
them smugglers, from Portsmouth all the
way and a wild set they was They had
tho country their side though, and the
coastguardes was thought no better of than
they deserved. There was two brothers,
Dick and Joe Dedman, and their father;
and Nancy the one girl She was
beauty by all accounts-very wild, too, and
as rare a one at smuggling any of them;
and she would ride bareback on any horse,
and be- out all night and all day, and many's
the time when she's kept the coastguardses
at bay, and done many a bit of business
wanted woman's wit and a man 5 strength
''She must have been still lass when
there was news of "a rare lot of spirits and
baccy lit was the war time, and the word
was passed along the line from Portsmouth
To Hinde Head, and beyond too, in course.
And the kings got wind on it, and
they made ready for fray-they thought
as how they would break the neck of this
smuggling business, more fools theyi as if
poor men to be put down and denied
their rights So easy!
''Well, it seems rs they'd planned to put so
many at each of the smuggling posts, all
ready-and they said they would settle all,
and easy, too, excepting the Dednan lot,
on account of Dick Dedman; he was a
wonderful power of man! They'd had a
warrant agin him ever SO long, but never
could lay hand on him, nor find out where
he put up. So one of the kings men "a
sharp young fellow, whose father were a
farmer but lately come over to this side of
Godalming), he took the job. And he
dropped down one day Nancy Dedman
In the Connie, and made out as he We're a
sailor on his way to Lunnon; and he asked
for IA bite and a drink. And she looked him
up AMI down, and her decidement were that
he meant no harm, she asked him in and
gave it he. And he talked from to
t'other of foreign parts and the wars; and
Nancy she were terrible took up with it
all; AMI he had, they said, way with him,
AMI he an honest young chap, too,
but for his trade. Well, without much
us her finding out, she ge,s to tell he that
she is alone till the night, till the old man
come and that he and the lads was away;
Joe to Guildford and Dick to the mill over
by Hsislernere; he but lately come back
and keeping quiet; giving his work, and
every OH his side, and would not be-
tray he to any of the king men-she, who
was that sharp they called her Hawk-eyed
Nance, she drawed on and on-and
ne wound up with more of his tales, and
went ON his way, leaving her thinking on
the Indies, and wishing she might see the
sailor again.
but he, he went back to his mates, and
they followed Dick up, and sure enough
they nailel him at the mill and he were
warranted and throw'd into Jail. Well, the
fray come off, ami the coastSuardseS beat
the smuSglcrs all along the line, and Joe
De,nI;ln was killed i'll the fray, and the old
man swore he would track the traitor
who told ON Dick and take his life for his
son Joe; for had Dick been there he would
have made one too many for the devils of
king men. Nancy hadn't thought how
il were she; no. not when at the Hasemere
Fairinl, sin. met the sailor, who said as how
he'd settled down with his father, old
Farmer Kemp, to Godalming-which was
truth, for he'd giv'd up the coastguardsing
''One way and another they was always
meeting, ami young Kemp he lost his heart
To- She, and they say rs he told his father as
he must have Nancy Dedman or he would
be- off To the war. The old farmer shook d
his head, but he could never give his son
any denial and when once he brought
Nancy to the old man, he said he were
bound To confess that Nancy had the ways
of IA lady, for all she We're so brown, AMI
was of the Dedman lot. 1t made n deal OF
talk but old Detlman, he took no heed, till
one day--it were after Dick come
home; | never heard who gotten him out,
but it were soon after. Well, one day
Nancy spoke up that she was going to get
married and to young Farmer Kemp.
There n kick-up! the old man and Dick
had set their minds To give Nancy to one of
their crew To Portsmouth,; to keep her in
the trade aud to keep themselves fair with
the head crew there. And the whole crew
was r.td after Nancy Dedman. Nancy
stood To it that she'd marry young Kemp
and they gave her time of it, reg lar
persecution a. ever you find in ''Fox's Mar
tyrS,' short of the stake We'll say. But
Nancy none of they kittle sort; she
stood to her say-aud one day when they
was out of the house but not far or, for
they never left She alone, Jim Kemp
crawled in from among the bracken (she'd
advertised he of the danger) and tells her as
his father was just dead, and he must have
an end of this, and will she fix the day? He
said as how he'd come and take her away by
force if need be, he and some of his old
mates; AMI as she WAS pulling how he could
get IA lot of sailors all of II sudden you SEE
she know'd naught of the coastguard s
business, Dick booked in at the door! and
his face was the DEVILS own it flashed To
he that there stood the man aS had nailed
him in the mill and had him put To prison
And Nancy SAW him; and jim SAW him,
and turned milk white. Dicks look was
enough L. cur,lle your very blood. 'Trai-
tor Nance said he; 50 You were II carry
ing ON and never know 1T it! and it was
You as told ON Your own flesh and blood,
and your fathers cur>,' and mine too
Hold there, ,.riel youn Jim, hitting Dick
on the mouth to stop his curses they was
afraiI of curses there. hold therei She
never knew and he poured it all out as
how 1t happened, and how he was al
ways thinking on Nancy. and 81 giv'd up
the coast guarylsing part On her account and
part ON his father ; But afore he had
ended Dick were gone, and Nancy was all
on "A heap with nau:,h 10 say-but her look
cut up young Jim, and 10 mistake.
won't say but that lie deserved it-for he'd
been double with her through love on her,
no doubt, but il : allays best to be straight,
and 50 he felt too late. and that had be
spoke truth when he told his love he could